Carbondale, Illinois
December 27, 2015
We invite you to read Sarah Halasz Graham's third and final installment in a journalistic series that explores the causes behind, impacts of, and solutions to rural brain drain. It is not inevitable that bright young people must leave small towns and out-of-the way places, but stemming the tide will take thoughtful and intentional efforts. Click here to read the Southern Illinoisan article in its entirety.
In my role as Executive Director of AIRSS, I was contacted by Ms. Halasz Graham and asked to meet her for a cup of coffee. Sarah and I spent several hours talking about rural and small schools and communities, and the issues that impact our schools. To my delight this reporter also wanted to talk about solutions. Sarah's passion for the rural brain drain and rural school disparity is genuine and she is committed to using her voice to bring this issue to the forefront of a statewide and national conversation.
We encourage you to check out Graham's second piece in the series, Generation Gone. Graham is a graduate of Northwestern University and writes for the Southern Illinoisan, which is based out of Carbondale, IL. David Ardrey, Executive Director Illinois Association of Rural and Small Schools